River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-05-05
TIE TRAIN DISPATCHER.


The travelling public have long been
wont TO bestow approval upon railway
engineers for the self-sacrifcing spirit
which they exhibit when the lives en-
trusted 10 their care are endangered,
and in the annals Of the rail these occur
rencesare so frequent that passengers
generally picture the man at the throt-
| tie of the locomotive as hero bv vir-
tue of his position. These opinions are
deserydly held, and it would be the
grossest injustice to detract from the
honor which self-abnegation always
merits; but there is a class of railway
employees, almost entirely unknown to
passengers, whose responsibility is so
much greater and whose slightest omis-
sion Nigh, jeopardize the lives Of peo-
pie on trains more than any oversight
on the part Of conductors or engineers,
that it is indeed strange that they are
so seldom mentioned in the public
prints.
This class is the train dispatchers,
whose every order is implicitly obeyed
by train-men; and while the crew Of
one train is responsible for the move
ment of that train alone, the Dispatch
er holds in his hands the lives of every
individual on every train on the road;
and on a road having large traffic the
duties imposed ON him are very great
and arduous.
His position in the railway service is
unique; were all trains runningon time
and provided for on the periodical time
table issued by the company, he would
have no duties TO perform; bu trains
will get delayed and occasions viii
| arise requiring extra trains, or trains
without any specified time or rights,
to be run over the road, and then his
services are necessary to avoid hours of
! delay.
All trans on railroads are divided in
classes, according to their Importance,
generally two, passenger and freight;
and all trains Of one class running in
specified direction have the right the
IOttbs VI iitCb httP llO lOOh-ONl 1OI
trains of the same or n lower class run
ming in the opposite direction. Thus it
is assumed that on a certain railroad
trains running eastward have the right
of way over trains running westward;
then IN east-bound passenger train can
run the whole length of the road in en-
tire disregard OF ell trains; another
passenger train gong west need only
look out for the east-bound passenger
train, while the freight trains must keep
out OF the way of both passenger trains
and of the freight train which is run
ming in the direction prescribed as hay
ing the right of road.
Every one understands that all trains
are charted or have a time given for
passing each station, which time can
in no instance be anticipated, and
hence all train men know where all
other trains ought to be any particular
moment, if on time; but as trains fire.
quently and generally get late the train
of inferior class must have its move
ment pedited by some extraneous
cause or it may b. delayed for hours
awaiting n train that may have been
wrecked or has been kept for some
other of many causes. Then the duties
of the train dispatcher are of impor-
lance. He will probably give an order
to the delayed by telegraph directing it
not to go beyond certain place which
he thinks il can reach without difficulty,
and he directs the opposing train to
proceed to the same place and there
pass the other train and in that manner
the trains are enabled to pass each other
without any delay to either. His great
responsibility consists in that he may
have dozen other trains in his charge
at the same time and in directing one
train to 90 beyond its usual place to
meet another he may neglect to give
an order 10 the second train and in such
an event collision would probably
ensue, much property be destroyed and
probably lives be lost.
1t will readily be seen that the slight
est mistake of a train dispatcher might
cause serious results; and in this respect
his responsibility is probably greater
than that of any other individual under
whose charge the public are placed. A
pilot on vessel may lose his reckoning,
but the fact soon becomes apparent II
others, and his capacity for mischief is
thereby lessened; other railway en-
ployes may neglect their duties, and
rush headlong into danger, but their
associates generally realize the situation
before any unfortunate results ensue;
but the slightest behest of train dis
patcher must be obeyed without ques-
ton, even though to do so would jeop-
ardze the lives of those receiving the
orders though of course until an
accident results the train men are ig-
norant of the fact that they have been
given Wong directions.
Instances of oversight of dispatchers
are extremely rare-much less than of
neglect of conductors and engineers to
adhere to the orders given to them -
and while they perform their onerous
duties almost entirely unknown TO the
people whose lives they have in their
control. and the, efOre never receive the
need of praise due them. travellers
ought at least be made acquainted with
their duties and the important part they
play in the rapid and safe movement of
passengers.
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Na.liraI EfI,fcS IfIugfro4ah